Device for use in learning to swim



G. JORDAHN.

DEVICE FOR USE IN LEARNING T0 SWIM. APPLICATION FILED APFLZB. I920.

997 'Panted Feb. 15,1921,

l/VVE/VTOI? WITNESSES Gus JORDA ,q/v,

A TTOR/VEVS "rates DEVICE FOR USE IN LEARNING 'I'O SWIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed April 28, 1920. Serial No. 377,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Gus J ORDAHN, a cit1- zen or" the United States, and aresident of Palm Beach, in the county of Palm Beach and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Use in Learning to Swim, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to devices for use in learning to swim and more particularly to an inflatable device adapted to encircle the body and to be positioned in such manner as to preclude accidental displacement.

More particularly my present invention aims to improve former devices of this character by providing for more ready tying of the ends of the tube, which tying serves the double function of retaining air in the tube and properly holding the tube around the body.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention and forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a perspective View illustrating the practical application of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of my invention deflated.

Referring now to these figures and particularly to Fig. 2 my invention proposes an elongated flexible tube 10 whose diameter for its major portion provides suflicient internal area to hold a desired amount of air for proper support of the body in the water. This tube is open ended or is at least open at one endll even though its opposite end 12 may be closed, and is in accordance with my invention provided with reduced or narrowed end portions 18 which facilitate the tying of these ends as indicated at 14 in Fig, 1, so as to hold the tube around the body of the user. Tying of the ends serves the double function of securing the tube in effective position and closing its ends against the egress of air which is previously forced into the body of the tube through its open end 11.

I may thus form the body of a considerable width, adapting it to hold air in ample quantity for practical purposes, and still provide for ready tying of its ends in tight non-leaking relation.

In practice the tube as a whole may be formed from a single piece of any suitable material such as a plain fabric which will become non-leaking when wet, a rubberized cloth, or rubber, and in fact it is to be understood that any material suitable for the purpose may be utilized.

I claim:

A device to be used in learning to swim consisting of a long flexible open ended tube adapted to encircle the body of a wearer and having a body portion of sufiicient width to form an internal air space of ample proportions, the ends of the tube being reduced at opposite sides of the body whereby when the latter is blown up its said ends may be effectively tied and serve the double purpose of holding the device in place on the wearer and retaining the air in the body.

GUS J ORDAHN. 

